True Upbringings
by The Sage of Spirits
Summary: Soren was raised by his father, but he wasn't the only one to be raised by his true heritage... A certain blue-haired young man and his sister live through their true upbringings as well...
1. Prologue: Heading to the Meeting

_**The Sage of Spirits:** _OO"_ Wow, this is my first non-ToS story...  
**Lloyd:** What, taking a break from CruLloyd or something?  
**Ilyana:** Who are you? Do you have any food?  
**Me: **Ah yes, let me introduce myself. I am The Sage of Spirits, but please call me Sage. And this guy with me is Lloyd, from my usual section, Tales of Symphonia - he'll be here for the first bit. Anyway, as you may have guessed, this is my first Fire Emblem story, so hopefully this well go well. But before I do anything else, I must give you all a warning as to prevent any problems:_

**_THIS STORY HAS SPOILERS FOR BOTH FIRE EMBLEM: PATH OF RADIANCE AND RADIANT DAWN. DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU LIKE SPOILERS._**

_**Me:** Okay! Well, now I should say that after reading The True Prince by (I believe) PyroManiacNeko, I got inspired to write this. So thank you for the inspiration. _n.n_ Now that that is done, let's get on with this. _n.n_ Ilyana, m'dear, the disclaimer please.  
**Ilyana:** Only if you give me some food first.  
**Me:** -sigh- Lloyd...  
**Lloyd:** Sage does not own Fire Emblem.  
**Me:** Please read!  
_**

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**True Upbringings**

**Prologue: Heading to the Meeting**

The soldier walked down the hallway of the Daein Keep, towards the room of the prince; his black cape flowed behind him, his unique symbol as a soldier of Daein, his sword strapped to his side at all times. He was assigned as the prince's guard; he spent hours at his every side, making sure no foolish attempts on the prince's life were plotted. After several minutes of walking through the corridors of the keep he arrived at the royal's door.

Inside of the room the prince sat at his desk, reading a tome on wind magic. He wore a sage's robes, his long, black hair tied up behind him; the mark of taboo was permanently stained upon his forehead, revealing the effects of two separate races coming together as one – he was a branded. He was in the middle of an incantation when he heard a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" his voice called out with a tone of annoyance; being interrupted during his studies… It had better be important…

"Your Royal Guard, my prince – it is time for the meeting with your father and the Four Riders." The young man said.

The prince sighed; time was not with him today, for he had not realized this change in normal routine. "You may come in, my friend." he said, a smile appearing on his face as his friend and guard entered the premise of his room. The soldier approached the prince and knelt onto one knee, bowing before him.

"Are you ready, my prince?" he asked the royal; the black-haired young man sighed into his hands after closing his tome of wind spells on his desk, rubbing his hand longingly on the cover, wishing to study more advanced magic in further depth.

"You needn't call me that, my friend; my name alone is enough, at least when we are conversing by ourselves." The prince smiled at his soldier friend, rising off of his chair and standing upon the floor his book under his left arm.

"Understood… Soren." The guard said as he felt the tap on his shoulders, signifying that he may now stand tall. He subconsciously placed his right hand upon the hilt of his sword, always prepared for combat whenever necessary. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes, my friend, let us be off." he told the guard, following him out of the room; they walked into the hallway for the throne room, where the king and Four Riders awaited them. After five minutes of walking through winding pathways, Soren and the guard spotted General Petrine, the only female apart of the group known as the Four Riders, the three males standing beside her; they were gathered in front of Ashnard, the King of Daein and young Soren's father.

Soren cringed slightly as he slowly approached the king; he knew why he was summoned. _He always uses me for my mind alone and not for his company… At least I am still alive to this day thanks to my strategic plans that were of use to him…_ Soren thought as he walked up to his throne, far off to the right of the throne of the king. His guard fell onto one knee before him, bowing his head and closing his eyes; he awaited further instructions.

"I wish for you to remain here…" he told his blue-haired friend as he lifted his head so that he looked at the prince, a stern, intimidating expression on his face. He placed his right hand upon the hilt of his sword.

"…Ike."

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_**Me:** Well that's that. I know it's short, but I felt that it would be more interesting if I had left it there instead - chapters are normally a decent length, don't worry. _n.n  
_**Ilyana:** Food please...  
**Me:** Alright, alright, I'll take you somewhere for food.  
**Ilyana:** Thank you...  
**Me:** I'll try and update this as soon as possible - I really shouldn't post this just yet, seeing that I'm doing more work on this other story of mine... _n.n'_ Well, review please!_


	2. Elincia's Escape

_**The Sage of Spirits:** Yay, an update. _n.n  
_**Ilyana:** The chapter is longer than last time...  
**Me: **That's because I type a lot. _n.n _Ilyana, m'dear, the disclaimer please.  
**Ilyana:** Sage of Spirits does not own Fire Emblem...  
**Me:** I think I'll simply put up a summary. Anyway, please read!  
_**

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**True Upbringings**

**Chapter 1: Elincia's Escape**

"Of course, my prince." Ike said as he stood, backing away slowly until he reached his place next to the Four Riders. Ashnard grinned at the thought of starting the full-scale war he had envisioned; a war… for power.

"SOREN!" he yelled ecstatically (as Soren knew this was no anger call, or he would have winced), hoping to hear the thoughts of the "ingenious son." "Tell me, what course of action should we take to start my war?" he asked, turning his head excitedly towards the boy.

Soren mentally sighed. "Attacking the neighboring Begnion would be suicidal for Daein, so the only other course of action is the neighboring, peaceful Crimea. However-" he began, when Ashnard interrupted his train of thought.

"Details, details! That's all they are! Minor details! Crimea it is, then! Now what say you, my precious, tactical boy?" Ashnard screamed, his voice echoing throughout the room.

"As you wish," Soren said as he began to create a plan of attack, "now if I may, I shall have a moment of silence so that I may think."

"Of course, of course! But don't have me waiting for too long…" Ashnard grinned once more; Soren was rather grateful that he was placed behind the crazed madman, yet winced at what his friend had to witness.

_What am I thinking about? I must not get distracted…_ he thought, not wanting to earn him something far more severe. _Crimea has not seen war in decades, as they are a peaceful, knowledgeable country… I hate to do this, but I must keep myself safe somehow…_ he sighed, turning his head to his father.

"Yes, boy? Do you finally have a plan?" he asked brusquely, his grin apparently still revealed on his face. Soren often wondered if the man's face was frozen like that.

"Yes," he began, turning his head towards the Riders, "please listen carefully, everyone. Although skirmishes by the border are relatively common, Crimea is a rather peaceful nation. They would most likely be unprepared for a battle of such caliber as the war father, King Ashnard, wishes. I propose a strong frontal assault, overwhelming them. That should be enough."

Ashnard raised his hand to his chin, as if in thought. Abruptly, he began to clap tremendously. "Terrific idea, my boy! You have proven your usefulness time and time again! Bravo!" he commented, leaving Soren with a feeling he could not decipher. "Now then, I shall be going to Crimea – I'll have both Petrine and Bryce accompany me."

"What of me, your highness?" a man stepped forth, his clanking armor resounding around the room. He was covered in ebony armor from head to toe as a red cape trailed behind him. He had two swords strapped at his side, though he only used one.

"Ah! Dark one!" Ashnard shouted exuberantly. "You will stay here and watch over the keep with Gawain until I give you your next order. After all, why reveal someone such as yourself to dogs?"

"Understood." he replied simply, bowing as the king left with Petrine and Bryce. Standing, the knight was about to take leave of the room when a man placed his hand on the knight's shoulder. "Yes, Sir Gawain?"

"I would like to speak with you, Black Knight." Gawain said, looking at both his son and the prince. "Ike, if you would…?" Gawain said, turning his eyes onto Soren.

Ike nodded his head, turning his attention to the prince. "Yes, Father. Come with me, if you would, my prince." he said, preparing to lead him away. Soren smiled and shook his head.

"I can lead myself. You may be my royal guardsman, but that doesn't mean that you have to watch over me the entire time." Soren laughed, heading for the doorway. "I will vouch for you, of course, if I need to."

Ike stared at the young royal, shocked. "My prince, it is my duty to guard you. And Father apparently wishes to speak to Sir Black Knight alone." he said, half-way out of the room. Soren sighed, muttering something about military officers.

"Very well. Let's go." Soren replied, walking out of the room, Ike not far behind.

Gawain nodded his head. "Now that we can speak in private, why don't you tell me what you've been doing, Zelgius?" he said, watching as the said man removed his helmet.

"I should have known that I could not have hidden myself from you, General Gawain. But I must keep my helmet on, in case of someone coming in." Zelgius replied, placing his helmet on. Gawain sighed, looking at his former pupil sadly.

"Last I heard you were fighting with the Begnion Army. So are you here to spy on us?" he asked simply.

Zelgius stared at the man in shock. "Of course not, General! I only left the Daein Army because I was forced to leave. When I heard that you were still in the army, I asked someone to help me come back. And I did – as the Black Knight."

"I see," Gawain merely said, a frown on his face, "you are a Branded." Zelgius could not hide his gasp, even while encased in armor. "You should be careful on how you word things, it will give you away."

Zelgius closed his eyes. "General, you must not tell anyone. Please." The man pleaded.

"I won't – you were my student." he said, a smile appearing on his face.

"Thank you." Zelgius replied as he saw Ike return into the room. "Young Ike, have you come to see me or your father?" he asked the youth, who turned towards his father.

"I have come to tell you that I will be heading to the temple for a little bit. Can I entrust the prince in your hands for a little while?" he asked, pounding his fists together. Zelgius looked at the sword strapped at the young man's side; he became… intrigued at the possibility.

Before Gawain could respond, the knight unsheathed a wide golden sword, placing the point slightly into the stone floor. "Son of Gawain, lift this blade." he said abruptly, leaving the two men stunned. Ike shook his head a minute afterward.

"Alright…" he replied, grasping the hilt of the sword. With both hands, he pulled the mysterious sword from the ground, trying to keep it steady with both hands. "Sir Black Knight, why did you have me do this?"

"…A test of your strength. As you know, I have two swords on me. However, I only use one. What is the use of holding onto two swords when you only use one? I would like you to make use of it while I use my other sword. That way, you will have the even more strength to keep the prince safe." Zelgius replied, handing the scabbard over to the teen, who strapped it onto his waist. "The blade is called Ragnell. I trust you shall keep it safe."

"Thank you, Sir Black Knight. I shall use it well." Ike said, bowing his head. "Now Father, can you watch the prince while I'm at the temple?" he asked, turning towards Gawain, who nodded his head.

"Tell both your mother and sister of the circumstances that occurred here as well." he replied, watching as his son nod his head and pound his fists together before walking out of the room. Ike soon exited the keep and began walking down the road to the temple. Arriving fifteen minutes later, he knocked on the door; a priest looked out through the peeping hole and saw the blue-haired guardsman. He opened the door, allowing the noble to enter within its confines.

"Lord Ike, I assume you are here to see Ladies Elena and Mist?" the bishop asked – despite its obvious answer; the young man nodded his head. "Then follow me please."

The bishop led him through the corridors of the temple to the chapel, where the priestesses were finishing up their prayers. He led Ike to the podium where a blue-haired woman stood, leading the group.

"Lady Elena, you have a visitor." The priest said as he turned and left. Elena slowly opened her blue eyes as they spotted the young man; a soft, gentle smile grew on her face.

"Oh, Ike… I'm so glad to see you. How has your day been so far?" she asked, grabbing his shoulders, pulling him into a hug.

"Everything has been running smoothly, Mother." he replied, lowering his head to the floor. "Although Father told me to tell you that war is coming. He is to remain at the keep until further notice." The teen explained; Elena gasped lightly, his eyes revealing shock.

"Ike, thank you for telling me this – your sister is down the hall, healing the injured…" she began until she saw him wave his hand.

"That's alright – I won't bug her when she's doing something like that, and I must take leave. Just tell her that I came by. Goodbye for now, Mother." Ike said; Elena walked over and kissed his forehead, a slight blush growing on her son's face.

"Take care, Ike…"

_(--Castle Crimea, Days Later…--)_

"Princess Elincia, this way!" a knight said as he grabbed her hand and ran. He had light blue hair and wore armor of a darker shade. They were rushing to the outer gates of the castle after the King of Daein broke through the Crimean Ranks and killed King and Queen Crimea. The man worried that he was not going to make it in time.

"Geoffrey, wait! What about Lucia and Bastian?! And Uncle Renning?!" she shouted over the clanging of weapons as she winced at the piercing screams of the soon-to-be dead.

"Princess, they can handle themselves! We need to get out of here!" Geoffrey shouted as they continued to run down the hallways; while fighting on horseback was his cup of tea, he was no pushover on foot. Making the final run down the last passageway, they found themselves exiting the castle, the first platoon of Crimean knights awaiting them. Geoffrey wasted no time in mounting his horse, the princess sitting behind him.

"Knights! Let's move!" he shouted, leading the way to the old passage road behind the castle. "Kieran!" Geoffrey shouted as the red-haired knight rode up to him. His red armor shined with brilliance.

"Yes, General Geoffrey?!" he yelled enthusiastically, a crazed look appearing in his eyes. Geoffrey knew he was going to regret this…

"Take Princess Elincia onto your horse – if a battle breaks out I want you to flee with her to Gallia. I cannot leave this army. Can I entrust her into your care?" he asked as their horses slowly galloped down the road.

Kieran knew this was his big chance to prove himself. "Of course, General! I shall guard her with my life! Don't worry, princess! I, Kieran, shall forever be your guardian!" Elincia looked at both men sadly, knowing how much they are putting themselves on the line for her.

"Geoffrey, you be careful alright? I don't want you to die for me. Same goes for you Kieran…" she said as the men commanded their horses to stop momentarily so she could switch horses. She grabbed onto Kieran's waist to keep herself balanced, and when she finally got herself situated they both hurried to the rest of the knights.

It took little time for a battle to begin…

"Oh no, a squadron of Daein Knights ahead!" Geoffrey heard one of his knights shout; he turned his head at Kieran, who revealed that crazed smile on his face. Geoffrey brought his hand to his head.

"Kieran, hurry off before they see you!" he barked, snapping the man out of his daze.

"Right! My concentration is unbreakable! I'll return whenever I can!" he shouted before galloping away, the princess sitting behind him. Geoffrey watched as they went faster and faster, until they disappeared into the forest; he started blinking blankly at Kieran's frenzied cries of almost-maniacal laughter along the way.

"I swear, that man is impossible…" he sighed before raising his Brave Lance. "To arms, men! We have a fight to win!" he shouted as his horse charged to the frontlines. With a single glance at his men, he charged into battle. He saw the line of ebony armor as shields were set in a defensive position. Geoffrey stopped his horse before he got himself into a serious situation. "We are the Knights of Crimea! You, who stand on our grounds, leave at once, or face my lance!" he shouted, taking note at their chuckling frontline.

"We shall not move – but if you won't, we'll run through you! Charge!" the commander yelled as the vanguard began to swallow the ground in a sea of black waves. Unshaken, Geoffrey charged into battle…

_(--Somewhere in Crimea…--)_

A calm breeze blew through the forested village, even though safety was no longer present in the tiny town. If one cared to look, a pillar of smoke was pushed by that gentle wind as bandits ravaged the villagers' houses, turning them to dust.

Yet there was also the sound of a fight…

"Hah!" A woman shouted from on her horse as she drove her axe into one of the bandit's chest, killing him instantly. Another horseman charged in, stabbing a nearby swordsman with his lance.

An axe man and a swordswoman were back-and-back, staring at the six bandits that now had them surrounded. Noticing the two archers hiding behind the house, the surrounded pair waited until the archers fired their arrows into the thieves backs…

The piercing screams alerted the duo to strike. The woman jumped onto one of the villain's head, flipping over him as she struck a line diagonally down his back. The wounded man fell onto the ground in pain, just as the axe man spun his axe full-swing, striking the remaining enemies. A white-clothed man suddenly ran into the clearing – pausing briefly at the amount of blood on the ground – and brought his staff to the two to inspect for injuries.

Meanwhile, a man stood in the center of the small village, laughing merrily as he hoped to impress the possibly-looking, unmarried ladies as he took on three men, knocking them down easily with his lance. He watched as the five footmen ran to his location, the two horsemen arriving shortly thereafter.

"Now to finish the contract…" the horsewoman muttered, turning her attention to the bandit in front of the main building. Charging towards the enemy leader, she raised her axe into the air – after narrowly dodging the man's swinging axe, that is – and slashed across his chest. With a loud, heaving gasp, he collapsed onto the ground.

The horsewoman noticed the elderly man peeking out of the building and waved her hand, smiling. Receiving the impression that the village was safe, he opened the door slightly as he peered around the perimeter carefully. Minutes later, he swung the wide and stepped out, walking slowly with his cane.

"I thank you for coming so quickly," he began as he turned back towards the house, "the bandits came from out of nowhere and raided the village. Here, it's not much, but I hope it will do." he said, handing the woman the gold as payment.

She laughed softly. "Don't worry about that – we were glad to help out. If you ever need our help again, don't hesitate to call us." she said, placing the bag of gold into her pouch. With a wave goodbye, the group took their leave.

The elder archer sighed with annoyance. "Titania, I don't see why we can't do better paying' jobs." Shinon griped once again. "These jobs don't cure my intense boredom."

"Shinon!" she shouted, offended. "These people are the ones who need us to help them. Helping others is also part of the payment." She chided again to the man, who – in a small fit of anger – humphed and ran deeper into the forest; Titania sighed lightly.

"Don't worry about him, Titania," Gatrie said as said woman turned her head to the knight, "he only wants to have a little excitement. I can understand him wanting that – things have gotten a little boring, lately."

"Gatrie, not you too!" Titania sighed once more, raising her hand to her head. "I admit things of slowed down lately, but that does not mean that we are not needed."

"Sorry, Titania," Gatrie replied sheepishly, playing innocent, "but if we can get more jobs, we can-"

"Wait, does anyone hear that?" Rhys said suddenly, looking around cautiously. Everyone paused quickly, trying to listen in on whatever the priest was hearing. "It sounds like a horse neighing. Titania, should we…?" he asked as the horsewoman turned her horse around.

"Yes – although we don't know if it is a trap or not. Gatrie, you look for Shinon while the rest of us will split into pairs and get to the bottom of this." Titania ordered, receiving nods from her members. "Be careful everyone. Now let's move." she said as she lifted Rhys onto her horse and galloped away.

The young archer nodded to the older horseman as he jumped onto the horse. "Don't get carried away, Boyd!" the young teen shouted before he disappeared through the trees with the older horseman.

Boyd's face twisted into a slight anger, muttering something about annoying brats. "Come on, Mia – you heard her. We have some searching to do." he said and took off, his axe already pulled off from his belt. With a grin, Mia unsheathed her sword and followed the man, hoping to find a worthy adversary to fight at sunset...

_(--Within the Forest…--)_

"By the way, Rolf," the horseman began, turning his head to the archer, "was that comment really necessary?" he asked the adolescent, who coyly smiled.

"Oh Oscar, you know how much fun it is to joke with him…" he chuckled slightly as he strung his bow. "Anyway, if you see something, let me know and I'll give them a nice, clean shot in the head."

Oscar laughed. "Rolf, you don't need to get ahead of yourself." He chided softly. "After all, we can't be certain that it is an enemy."

"Yeah, but-" Rolf began, when Oscar brought his gauntlet-covered hand to his mouth.

"Quiet. There's something here…" he whispered, grabbing his spear from his back. Pulling the reins, he forced the horse to an almost standstill as it crept around the bushes. The two males gasped at what they saw.

_Who would have thought I would see him again? _Oscar first thought, instantly noticing the red-haired, red-armored man on the forest floor. He got off his horse to inspect for any injuries when he saw that there was someone else present with him…_ My, what a scoundrel. Who knew?_ he mused, looking at him with a shameful expression.

Sneaking close to the man, Oscar took firm hold of his lance as he held it over the unconscious man's head. With a light – but solid – whack, Kieran jumped into the air.

"Wah! Who did that?!" he shouted, rubbing his head; he noticed a peculiar green armor and turned sharply. "Oscar, you rotten devil! Only you could have sneaked up on me!" he yelled some more, strangely patting the green-haired man on the back, as if he was congratulating him.

"You were unconscious. I was afraid that you might hurt that woman over there if I hadn't woken you up." Oscar replied simply, turning himself so that he might face the young archer. "Rolf, this is Kieran. I know him from my time as a Crimean Knight." The man explained, intentionally ignoring the red-haired man.

Kieran instantly ran over, interrupting the conversation. "Argh! You forgot 'rival!' Me! You are my one true rival, and don't you forget it!" he shouted rambunctiously as if he was a mere competitive child. Oscar waved his hand lightly.

"Yes, yes… Glad to see that you're feeling better. Now, could you explain what you are doing here with this young woman?" he asked, hoping to swiftly change the topic with the man Oscar had personally dubbed "Sir Simpleton." Kieran – as faithful to his one-track mind – fell for the bait hook, line and sinker.

"Ah yes! …Wait, rival or not, how can I trust you?! What if you've turned your coat and secretly aid the Daein Army?! You brazen cur! You were my one true rival!" he shouted frantically, grasping his head with his armor-covered hands in despair. Ignoring the rather humorous situation, Oscar turned his attention to the woman on the ground. Kneeling onto the ground, he placed his hands behind the woman's back; he helped the woman sit up as she finally regained consciousness.

Hearing the sounds of the young princess, Kieran quickly dashed to her other side, throwing her arm over his shoulders. "Oh, princess! Are you alright?!" he hollered, an actual hint of concern on his face.

Oscar was rather surprised that the crazed man actually knew how to act like a knight at times.

"Princess? Of Crimea? I never knew there was a princess." Oscar mused to himself, Kieran sharply turning to his "rival's" direction.

"Of course! And I was charged by the general himself to take her to Gallia! Now then, I suggest that we get going, princess." Kieran said as he helped the woman up onto her feet. Turning a glance at the now arriving crew of mercenaries, Elincia grew slightly disturbed.

"Are you… soldiers?"

"Not necessarily," Titania began, running a hand through her red hair, "We're a group of mercenaries that help out the neighboring villages whenever they need our help. I'm the leader of the group, Titania." she said, getting off of her horse. "If you're injured, we can talk you back to our base to get you medical assistance."

Elincia stood there in thought, glancing over at each member of the group. They seemed friendly enough, except for the older archer, she thought; seeing that the sun has started its course to set, she figured that it would be unwise to continue her journey for now. "Yes, if it is no trouble. It would not be the best idea to travel about at night. I thank you for your kind offer." she smiled courteously, shifting her head towards the red-armored knight. "Is that okay with you, Kieran?"

Kieran scoffed loudly. "Of course, princess! You are the one to give the orders, not me!" he shouted once more, ignorant to the tremendous sigh escaping the green-haired knight.

After quickly preparing themselves for the travel, they were prepared to leave. "If you don't mind, I would like to hear your story once we arrive." Titania stated, receiving a small nod from the green-haired woman. With that, they were off for home…

_(--Somewhere on the Road…--)_

"Daniel! Jorge! Make sure you both catch up to us!" A man yelled from in front of another wagon, constantly checking to see if the twins were keeping pace with them. A young woman sat in the back of the wagon, checking each crate to make sure that none have loosened from being shaken on the road. She noticed the young mage sitting at the backend of the wagon, probably watching out for any creatures or bandits.

_The poor girl…_ she thought suddenly, looking at her as she dangled her feet over the board. The woman walked over to the girl, hoping that she was not sitting there because of the motion. "Hey Ilyana, are you feeling alright?"

Ilyana turned her head slowly to the woman. "Oh… Aimee… Yes, I'm feeling fine… Just a little hungry." she smiled softly. "Aimee, could you hand me my bag please? It's over there…" she asked, slightly frowning at the woman's shaking head.

"Of course. Here you go." Aimee said with a smile, lowering the bag onto Ilyana's lap. Digging into the pouch, she took out a small piece of broken bread (as she was afraid of eating it all at once) and ate it slowly.

"Thank you… That helped a lot…" she said as she looked over at the following wagon. "I hope Jorge and Daniel aren't being followed… I can't cast my magic without seeing my targets…" she sighed somewhat heavily, tossing a glance over at her Thunder spell book. Aimee merely giggled.

"Don't worry – if they were they would've shouted and alerted us." she replied, turning her head to the male driver. "Hey Muston, how far are we to the next town?"

"Oh, we're getting close to Port Toha. From there, we head to Gallia so the beorc that have settled there can get some more supplies." Muston told her from his driver's seat.

"I see… Well, I guess that means we should stock up on supplies while at Toha. It wouldn't do if our inventory went out of stock." Aimee responded, her back facing the frail girl. "Ilyana, if you are feeling weak, don't hesitate to call on me. Just don't fall off the wagon, alright?" she giggled lightly before taking a seat next to Muston.

Ilyana sighed. _I'm so glad that Muston and the others found me those four years ago,_ she began thinking, glancing at the four, _if not for them, I would have been dead on the side of the road… I am… blessed…_ she thought as she pulled her feet in, deciding that it would be safer for her to sleep all the way inside of the covered wagon. She closed her eyes and soon drifted off to sleep.

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_**Me:** Sorry if I confused anyone - I'm a perspective writer, so... _n.n'  
_**Ilyana:** You included me in this chapter...  
**Me:** Yep. Now why's that, I wonder? And it's not just because I like Iyana either. -evil grin-  
**Ilyana:** Hmm...  
**Me:** If you haven't already figured out, things are going to be WAY different than PoR. R__eview please!_


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